An Unexpected Chance
by CoCo Krispies
Summary: After Esther's funeral the group comes to terms with Alex coming back as well as a reunion no one saw coming.


A.N. Alright so this has been floating around my head for a while so I decided to forgo sleep for a couple nights and just get the stupid thing done and typed. This is my first Torchwood fic so I hope you all enjoy. This should be a short, angsty little one shot with some fluff and sap at the end.

_Ok I think I fixed it. Thanks to those who reviewed and told me about the whole Alex/ Rex thing. I so can't believ I did that._

_**Be warned I have no Beta for my work. So please forgive any little mistakes I made, I will try to make sure there is nothing to glaringly obvious here.**  
_

Pairing: JackxIanto because they are adorable and got so screwed over at the end of COE.

Warnings: Spoilers for Seasons 3 and 4 (C.O.E and Miracle Day). Maybe some swearing and a little violence. Some kissing and some heavy petting but that is about it. Some OOC is to be found as well. Jack will be more than a little off, but I figure what the hell he has lost to much and been dicked around by pretty much everyone and everything, he is pretty much entitled to some angst.

Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or anyone in it. If I did, I so would have offed Gwen in the first season, hell maybe in the first episode when she proved just how useless she really was.

**An unexpected chance at Happiness**

"Jack are you alright?" Gwen asked for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last few hours.

After Rex had taken the bullet to his torso, courtesy of that bitch Charlotte, at Esther's funeral and revived. They had all made a quick escape, while Rex had to try and talk his way out of a medical check up and figure out what to put in his report. Luckily whatever he had come up with seemed to have worked, as he had met up with the others at the car and simply told them to drive.

Now several hours later they were all sitting around in Jack's hotel room. Their temporary home until Jack, Gwen and Rhys could all return to London. Though the room was quite everyone present could see that something was very wrong with Jack. The normally chatty man had said almost nothing since leaving the funeral home hours earlier, even in response to Gwen's incessant questions. He was alarmingly pale and the other three could see anger and resentment warring with a soul deep pain in his red rimmed blue eyes.

"Harkness, I really think you should explain a few things to us. Like why the hell I didn't simply die back there. I thought everything was back to normal." Rex said. The former agent could understand that Jack was upset about something. But right now he was more concerned about what had happened to him than anything else.

Throwing his head back on the arm rest of the couch he currently lay sprawled upon. Jack covered his face with his arm, hiding his eyes from the others in the room with him.

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts and take a few unsteady breaths to calm himself before he even attempted to speak. He honestly didn't know how much longer he would be able to hold the tears back, and he wanted everyone gone soon.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you Rex. This has never happened before, to anyone... no matter how hard I wished it to." Jack said in a flat, cold voice. He didn't want to talk about this now, he wanted to be alone with his memories.

"Jack you have to have some idea how this could have happened. Or at least have an idea who would know." Gwen said.

"Yeah, I mean what happens if I am like you and I can't age or die?" Rex asked.

"Not to mention, why Rex? Surely if you could bring back anyone you wanted, it would not have been him. No offense Rex." Rhys added, with an apologetic glance at the govt. agent.

"Enough!" Jack finally exploded, coming up off the couch in a flurry of jerky, uncoordinated movements.

"I don't know how this happened or even why! If your really like me, then welcome to hell. You will just have to keep on living while everyone else around you dies or leaves you alone, won't." Jack snarled. Turning narrowed, tortured eyes to Rhys Jack found himself unable to stop the words that came pouring from his mouth just then. Knowing that they damn him in the eyes of the others, but not really caring any longer.

"Of course I wouldn't have brought Rex back. The one I wanted died right in front of me, because of me, and I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it." Jack hissed, the tears now falling against his will.

"Steven?" Rhys asked carefully, he had never seen the Captain this upset before.

"Let me tell you a little secret Rhys. I was dead inside long before I had to kill my own grandson. It was a painful what I did, yes. But I came up with the idea and put him on that pedestal. I flipped the switch that killed him with no hesitation, I was... I am a monster. I have always been one to do what needed to be done. But I don't really care anymore, do you know why?" Jack growled.

"..."

"Oh God!" Gwen whispered, vaguely remembering the slurred words Jack had spoken to her, during a drunken phone call months ago. A call from Jack that was basicly asking for help. A call she had ignored and actually hung up on.

"Because those bastards that came to use our children as nothing more than drugs. They took the most important person in my life away from me. I mean in my whole, entire cursed long life, they ripped away the one that could help me keep my sanity. Tore him forcefully from my side." Jack continued, not seeing the sudden realization on Gwen's face. Pacing the length of the room restlessly.

"Ianto..."

"We have a winner! How long did it take you Gwen? Before you found the recording of our death? Did you see me plead for his life? Did you hear me as I all but begged that abomination to take children, hell the entire planet, so I could have Ianto back? But the joke was on me wasn't it. Fate or destiny or hell even the damn universe must love watching me suffer because my pleas fell on deaf ears. Maybe the Doctor is right and I am wrong... broken. But you know what? They took Ianto from me, so I killed them. It is no different now. When you wanted your daughter and Rhys back Gwen, what was it you said to me? You would watch me die like a dog if it would give them back to you, right? Well right back at you. I would destroy this entire planet and the surrounding system, if it meant I could just hold him again."

"Now if I knew how the hell Rex was brought back. If I had done anything to be the one that made it happen, why the hell would I have not brought Ianto back to me?" Jack spat at the others.

"Oh Jack, I am so sorry." Gwen whispered in the sudden, crushing silence.

"So am I Gwen. But that won't bring him back to me. So forgive me if I wish to be selfish tonight and be left alone." Jack said as all the fight seemed to leave him in a rush.

"Just tonight? That's not the Jack Harkness I remember." Came a smooth welsh voice.

Four sets of startled eyes turned to the balcony at once.

"The hell?" Rex asked reaching for his weapon.

"Put it away Rex. You might not die right now, but if you hurt Ianto, even I don't know what our beloved Captain might do to you." Came another voice from the other side of the room.

"Ianto?" Gwen asked softly, not quite trusting her eyes.

"You died!" Rhys yelped.

"I did." Ianto agreed stepping further into the room. Brilliant blue eyes locked on Jack's frozen form. "But the Doctor there brought me back."

"Doctor? You mean Jack's Doctor?" Gwen asked in confusion. Turning to look in the direction the other voice had come from, she was greeted to the site of geeky looking little man with an absolutely horrid bow tie and even worse fashion sense.

"That would be me, yes. Though to be fair I didn't really bring Ianto back, I just sped up the process of what was already happening. Now once again I must ask you to put that weapon away. Jack really won't be happy when he comes back to himself." The Doctor said with a smile.

"Sorry but I am not taking any chances."Rex said, keeping his gun trained on the young welsh man.

"How?" Jack asked in a raspy voice, finally forcing the words out that had caught in his throat at the site before him.

"How am I still alive? How did I end up with the Doctor? How did I find you?" Ianto asked stepping forward another few steps.

"You died in my arms. I gave you my last breath, trying to bring you back to me. I came back and you were there at my side, dead. Gwen was crying between us. I stayed there for hours, they had to physically drag me from your side." Jack said in a voice rough with tears that were threatening to fall once more.

"Ianto my boy, I think you should take our beloved Captain and explain a few things in private. I will take care of the questions in here about our friend Rex. Though if you would like the honors..." The Doctor said with a grin.

"Ah no thank you. That information is a little to private for me to go into with everyone. I will take care of Jack." Ianto said with a small blush. Making a motion towards the balcony behind him.

"Jack?" Gwen asked, turning weary eyes on her friend and boss. She knew she didn't have the best track record when it came to listening to others. But she had a feeling that if she did not do exactly as Jack asked this time, she would regret the consequences. She would follow his lead this time.

"It's alright. You can trust The Doctor, if anyone knows whats going on then it would be that clever man." Jack said in a dazed tone, as he moved to follow the welsh man outside. Closing the door all but a few inches behind the two men.

(Break Break Break)

"Is he going to be alright?" Gwen asked worriedly.

"Calm yourself my dear. Ianto would never bring harm to that man. Not for anyone or anything in existence. He would do absolutely anything for Jack. Don't tell me you never saw it while you worked with them." The Doctor said, a knowing look in his eyes as he glanced at the dark haired woman.

Gwen looked away, unable to meet the gaze directed at her. A slight flush on her face at the words. Knowing the man spoke the truth, and feeling more than a little guilt for trying to come between the two on more than one occasion.

"Alright everyone can catch up and exchange warm and fuzzies later. For now will someone please tell me what the hell is going on and who the hell are you people?" Rex snapped, he figured he had been patient enough.

"Very well, to be perfectly frank with you, your still very much mortal." The Doctor said happily.

"I just took a bullet to the chest a few hours ago and don't have a scratch on me. How the hell is that still mortal?" Rex demanded.

"Let me explain. You took a lot of Jack's blood into your body with that recent transfusion. That same blood is still in you even now. You did lose a lot over the last few days, yes. But you do still have some left in your body. You will have a longer life than most, and have rather good health. But I think you only have one or two more deaths in you before it is permanent. So I would take care in your field work after this." The Doctor said, beginning to pace the room.

"So the less blood that I lose, the longer I live?" Rex asked.

"Well yes. I suppose."

"What about the guy out there with Harkness? What's going on with him? What was all that about him being dead?" Rex asked.

Gwen and Rhys turned to The Doctor to await that explanation as well.

"That is a little trickier to explain... and much more personal. Needless to say it is something I honestly didn't think could ever happen. But leave it to that man to do the impossible. For now just leave it at Ianto is alive and well. Which means Jack may finally have a chance to have little happiness." The Doctor grinned.

A loud slam, and the glass doors rattling on their frame made them all jump and turn to face the balcony doors. Gwen was on her feet and headed to the doors at once.

"My dear you really should know better than to bother them. I think Jack may have just found out Ianto's little secret." Doctor said, not in the least worried about the low moan that filtered in through the slightly open glass door.

Gwen ignored the slender man and continued over to the doors. Reaching out and pulling the curtain back a bit to get a glimpse of what was happening outside. At the site before before her she immediately blushed and turned her back to the balcony. She liked good looking men as much as the next girl, but why did she always have to walk in on these two particular men going at it? At least they were still wearing their clothing this time.

"I think that we should maybe give them some time to be alone. Is anyone hungry?" Gwen asked trying to control her flush.

Taking in her reaction and the continuing moans that were coming more frequently, the three men quickly agreed. Deciding to move all further conversation to the bar downstairs for a while, they all made their way quickly out the door.

(Break Break Break)

Jack was silent as he stared at the beautiful man before him. The man he didn't think he would ever see again.

"Are you really Ianto?" Jack whispered, scared if he spoke any louder then the image before him would vanish.

"Yes Jack, it really is me. The very same Ianto that you held in your arms as I died." Ianto confirmed softly. Making sure to keep his distance from the other. Allowing Jack to take this at his own pace, knowing that he couldn't push this. Jack needed to come to terms with this in his own way.

"Oh god, Ianto." Jack cried in a shattered voice. His hand reaching out blindly for the other man, needing to touch, to confirm that this was real. Needed to trace those painfully familiar features before him.

Understanding the need he saw in the others eyes, Ianto grasped Jacks hands, bringing them up to his face. Relishing in the feel of those fingertips tracing desperately across his face . He had missed Jack so damn much over the last 2 years, had longed for this mans touch so intensely that it had scared him at times. It was almost painful now to be given even this much, when he had been so unsure of the welcome he would receive from this man.

"Your real, you came back. How?" Jack wondered, eyes locked on Ianto's face. Drinking in the beauty of the other.

"Well Jack, that is partly your fault you know. Even The Doctor couldn't have brought me back without the head start you had already given me." Ianto said with a smirk.

"Me? What did I do?" Jack asked in confusion. Starting to pull back away from the other.

"Oh no you don't. I never stopped you from doing it so like I said. Only partly your fault in this, and it had a good outcome anyways." Ianto murmured, pulling the other back to him again. He didn't want the other to think he was upset about this, and he sure didn't want to let him go yet.

"So are you going to keep talking in circles or are you going to tell me what I did?" Jack asked. He was a little nervous about this, Ianto never played games... almost never played games.

"Well think about it Jack. Rex had a transfusion of your blood recently, a large amount of your blood, might I add. It is what brought him back the first time. He still had some in his system when he was shot, so it brought him back a second time. I don't think he has many more times in him though to come back. The more blood he loses the longer it will take him. Until he just stops, and stays dead like anyone else." Ianto explained.

"That still doesn't explain how _you_ came back." Jack near growled.

"Well Jack, it's is not just large quantities of your blood that could bring someone back temporarily. As far as I and The Doctor can tell it is all of your bodily fluids. Your blood, sweat, tears and seaman will all work. Hell even your breath will work in a large enough dose. Basically it boils down to any part of your DNA that can be taken in by another. " Ianto explained.

"So all that hot manly sex we were having saved you?" Jack asked with a smug grin.

"Well that was part of it. God knows we exchanged enough of the seaman and sweat that way. But think about it Jack. We worked together for years, during that time how many times was I covered in your blood when you were killed in one fashion or another. How many times did I wake you from your nightmares, letting you cry on me in the dark. You gave me your last breath before I died in your arms, breathed it into me with your lips still stained from your tears and saliva." Ianto breathed.

"I didn't know." Jack whispered.

"I am not surprised actually. How many people have you ever been with as long as you had been with me? Not in a sexual sense either, but in any of the other ways." Ianto asked.

"Besides you? Maybe a year or so, but no more." Jack said, not sure what the welsh manwas getting at. He knew this was something he should be able to pick up on, but he was still trying to process that Ianto was even back.

"You and I were never in a relationship Jack. We were co-workers and friends with some very nice benefits. Do not try to say otherwise Jack. I loved you and never tried to hide it. You couldn't even say the words to me when I was dying." Ianot said.

"But..."

"No, Jack. For now just listen to me." Ianto commanded, placing his finger tips over the other mans mouth to silence him. It took all his will power to ignore the small kiss placed on those same digits.

"All those others you were with I imagine you used protection, though if a year was all, then it would do nothing more than let them age well. With me it was different from the beginning. You always seemed to want to stake a claim on me. Even when you wanted Gwen so much you still used me. Again don't say you didn't, we both know the truth. That will have to change though." Ianto said gently.

He had been hurt so much when Jack had been pinning after Gwen, but he would not hold it against him. He had known when they had first gotten together what type of man Jack was and had never expected him to be faithful. He could forgive and forget then. But this time around things would have to change.

"It took me months to fight off the poison in my system from the gas, but I did it. The Doctor saved me from the military getting to me and I have been with him since. Almost 2 years now. Slowly recovering and coming back to myself. It took me a while to figure out this whole dead, alive, thing. Not to mention you all can be a pain in the ass to locate. Rex came back a lot quicker than I did because of how much blood of yours he had. I didn't have near enough to help me along like that." Ianto explained.

At these words Jack felt tears falling again. Thoughts he really didn't want to consider running rampant through his mind.

"Jack ?"

"That means you will die as well. That you won't stay, I had hoped that... you know..."

"No Jack, I don't know. I didn't have any control over coming back to life Jack, but I did come back to you. Even with every thing that happened and the lack of any commitment on your part, I did come back. Unlike Rex, I have a way to stay by your side as long as we wish to be together. But I have to know that is what you want. I need to know that this will be a real thing with us. I want a relationship with you Jack. I want to be with you and no one else. But I need the same in return from you. I will not open myself up to that kind of hurt again. If you want me at your side I can give you that. But you have to give me what I need in return." Ianto swore.

"Anything, Ianto. I love you. I swear I do." Jack gasped as it all hit him at once. They could be together, Ianto knew a way. He had someone to be with, someone that loved him and wouldn't leave him. Lunging forward, Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto's neck as they slammed back into the glass door behind them. His lips taking Ianto's in a kiss he had been wanting since he had first seen the other male in his room earlier.

Ianto moaned at the feel of Jack's lips on his own after so long. Pulling him closer, he turned, pinning Jack back against the glass door, delighting in the broken moan the move earned him.

Jack wasted no time in trying to get closer, jumping up a little and wrapping his legs tightly around Ianto's waist. Making sure the other could go no where without him. Neither noticing the shadows being chased from the balcony momentarily as the curtains inside where pulled back, before they were abruptly plunged back into shadows.

"Well then, if you feel that strongly about it I guess we can work on making sure I stay around a long time then. I think now would be a good time to start." Ianto purred against the others warm mouth.

" This first Ianto. Wanted you for to long, you can explain the rest after." Jack panted, moving his lips down to the sensitive skin of Ianto's neck.

"Jack you can be so thick sometimes. I just got done telling you that giving me your bodily fluid is what brought me back. So doesn't it stand to reason that continuing to do so will help keep me around." Ianto gasped, thrusting his hips firmly against Jack's.

"You mean I can keep you alive with sex? Oh I am going to like this." Jack growled.

Ianto just laughed again at the comment.

Jack decided then and there that with the second chance he had been given, he would make sure Ianto never regretted coming back to him, to offer him something that know one else would. To offer him a love he never thought he could have, that he knew he was not worthy of. He would spend the rest of what passed as his life, making this man happy. After all a man never knew when an unexpected chance would come around again.

Owari

A.N. Alright so this was actually supposed to go some where entirely different, but thanks to calls from my boss right in the middle of it. My muse was entirely silenced and I got a bad case of writers block. So it took me... 7 months or so to actually pick this one back up and work on it. Only to have the same damn thing happen at the end. So I do apologies for the abrupt ending. I do hope you all enjoyed the fic though, please let me know what you all thought.


End file.
